How did I get sucked back into this sad mess of a show? Was I hallucinating that good week or two?

No. The show was great for much of January & February, then, as I feared, the show that was running on all cylinders suddenly petered out.

This is Days GIGANTIC flaw. They can write for an event or for sweeps (usually the same thing) but they can NEVER keep the momentum going.

Frankly they didn't even write for sweeps...can remember what exactly 'eventful' happened during Feb sweeps? IMHO the last big time that I remember the show as good and it attracted my attention was in Mid January during the Wabi baby reveal/Nabi wedding fiasco...since then nothing.... the show didn't even do anything during Feb sweeps.....it was good in January, around mid January since then it's just gone down hill and fast.....